Let's Eat: Greens and Cheese Pie at Helen Greek Food & Wine
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Helen Greek Food and Wine was the only Texas restaurant nominated as Best New Restaurant at the 2016 James Beard Awards. Executive Chef William Wright shares his version of the famous Greek dish, "spanakopita", or Greens & Cheese pie.
FULL RECIPE: Greens & Cheese Pie
Yield: 4 ea
Green & Cheese Mix
- Greens, blanched with large stems removed, chopped & squeezed very dry - 1 cups (You can use any greens. At the restaurant, we use a mix of collard, spinach, chard and dandelion.)
- Feta, crumbled - 1/2 cup
- Kefalograviera cheese, grated - 1/2 cup
- Eggs - 1
- Olive oil - 1 oz
- Capers - 1/2 Tbsp.
- Scallions, chopped - 1/4 cup
- Roasted garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
- Pepper - a couple grinds
- Aleppo pepper - 1/4 tsp
- Salt - to taste
1.Gently mix all ingredients together until well combined. Be careful not to overwork the mixture and break up the cheese too much.
Phyllo Coils
Each coil:
- Phyllo - 2 sheets cut in
- Clarified Butter with a pastry brush
- Pepper - a couple grinds
- Kefalograviera Cheese, grated - 2 oz
1. If you are using standard prepackaged rolls of phyllo dough, let them come to room temperature by sitting outside for a couple hours before ready. Leave the plastic on and cut the roll in half. Do not take out of the plastic until you are ready to use as it will dry out very quickly.
2. Lay one half sheet of phyllo out and lightly brush with clarified butter. Top with another sheet of phyllo.
3. Spread greens and cheese mix in a straight line through the center of the phyllo. You can vary the amount depending on how big you want your pies to be.
4. Grab the edge of the phyllo closest to you and gently fold over the line of greens mixture. Continue rolling until you have a complete roll.
5. Take one end of the roll and carefully begin to twist it together to form a spiral.
6. Brush the spiral with clarified butter, and sprinkle with kefalograviera cheese and cracked black pepper.
7. Bake at 400 for 8-12 minutes, until golden brown.
To Assemble
- Myzithra cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh oregano
Transfer the pie to a plate and drizzle with olive oil. Grate cheese and sprinkle oregano leaves on top.
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